The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-16
CLEvELAND,s ORDER CONDEMNED.

| It-Tndiana's Rebel Flags.
| In returning the rebel flags to the States from
whose troops they were captured by the defend
| ers of the Union, the Democratic administration
| at Washington has sought to modify what all
| old soldiers term outrage by sending to the
| Northern States the United States flags carried
by their troops. It will not answer, for the In
dianapols without political distinction,
| universally condemn the act of returning the
rebel flags to men who endeavored to destroy
| the government
| Governor Gray, when asked about the matter,
| said that he knew nothing, except what was
| pressed in the circular of Adjutant-general
| Drum. It was his impression, receiving the
circular proposing to him the return of flags that
belonged to Indiana regiments, that the
purpose to return to the States
I only the Union flags He knew
nothing of the restoration of rebel flags, which
/ he considered to be unnecessary. However, it
might be the wish of the War Department to
return flags both to Northern and Southern
| States. He was not sufficiently advised to give
| opinion, but old soldiers looked at the act only
IS it applied to the rebel side. It was generally
regarded that President Cleveland has had it
done in order to preserve a solid South in the in
terest of his denomination. The flags, they
| thought, would be received with every demon
|
casion of jubation, spread to the breeze. 1t is
| this feeling that has incensed the Indiana vet er
ans, one of whom remarked Cleveland is off
his base. But after all it is in keeping with his
| policy Of favoring the Southern brigadiers."
| General Carnahan said, sit may appear a
| small matter. but tell you never since the war
has anything occurred that will be more effectual
in keeping alive the Southerners' devotion to the
! lost cause. was at the New Orleans EXPOSE
| ton when the survivors of an Iowa regiment,
| in fit of sentiment, returned to the survivors
of Texas regiment flag they captured from
| them. Nothing at the exposition excited
| demonstration like that. The Texans marched,
! hurrahed and fondled the Iowans but all the
time the restored flag kept floating, re-
! ceiving the cheers of the multitude and the
extravaeant praise of its owners When
| the flags reach the several States
| such demonstrations will be repeated in
revivlng memories of the war. 1 regard the act
| of the administration outrage. Those
flags belong to the government. They were
| captured by government troops, and should be
| held as trophies No more right belongs to the
| administration to return those flags than to send
| back to foreign governments flags we have cap
| tured from them / have no personal feeling in
4 the matter There is a difference between the
I people and the flags the latter represent a
bellious cause which was lost. For the Southern
people have the most friendly feeling. but 1t
| does not extend to the flag that was carried by
! the rebel troops" The same expression was
ceived from every old soldier one remarking
II would rather see them burned than sent
1 back"
Colonel Ruckle thought the flags ought not to
| be returned. They were trophies won by Union
| soldiers and should remain in Washington.
Cleveland is sending back the rebel flags"
said another veteran, but has the South mani
tested any wish to return United States hags her
| troops captured"
| ance. They ought not to be treated as flags at
| all. They represented no country and we cap
tured them from rebels. They belong to the
| government and should remain undisturbed in
Washington"
Thomas johnson a strong partisan Democrat.
| but who has n good record as q soldier with the
Fifty ninth Indiana. very promptly responded to
| the question to what he thought OF the act
| by saying, Il am opposed to 1t. Tho captured
flags part Of our achievements"
John Schley said Those flags ought not to
be returned. They should be preserved at
Washington relics of the Rebellion. My doc
trine is, the victor belong the spoils. The ad
ministraton has no more right to return those
flags then to let Great Britain have the flags
e. A. johnson, Hiram w. Miller and Col I.
N Walker were toReth err when the subject
broached The frs two are Democrats, but all
agreed that the rebel flags should be kept at
Washington. Il 500 no sense in returning
them" said Mr.. Johnson. There was no recog
nized government down South during the war.
and what the people ahere called flags repre-
sented nothing to us except the emolems
to return them" Mr. Iuiller remarked, THAT
is my view of the matter. Let them be kept at
Washington" Colonel Walker said. ''They
don't need rebel flags down South What they
want is little more energy and nerve TO get
away from the memories of the war To return
the flags will only aid in keeping alive their re-
membrance of things they ought to forget. It
is an outrage to let them have these flags our
soldiers captured. If they are SO eager to get
them perhaps they would do we'll to remember
the flags they took from roy regiment, the
Seventy third Indiana, the Fiftyfrst Indiana,
Third Ohio and Eiehtieth Illinois. We were
forced to surrender at Rome, Ca but 1t was
with the condition that we should keep our flags
and side arms. We were sooner in the power
of the rebels than these conditions were vio
lated. Our flags were taken away and we have
not seen heard of them since
Democrats who hold Office der the Cleve
land aomlnls.1a.an' 10 some Sen, invor tne
larry, thinks they belong to the Southern States
instead OF the government But the oficehold-
ers who served in the Union army dodge the
question, while they secretly denounce the act
The few ex-rebes who enjoy COVE rnment posi-
tions hereabouts. of course are SONS what eiated
over what will be termed Cleveland desire to
wipe out all vestiges of the III that is the
purpose" said veteran of the Ion army,
why are not the flags burned"
VIM T. Noble, Clerk of the Supreme Court
who long service, said: ut is o.ne of the
most infamous things that has happened since
the war and is the greatest insult to ii ie Union
soldier-greater than that of vetoing pension
bills"
Deputy Auditor of State Coons coincid I'd with
this view, IN saying Il was In the arm IOur
years and look upon the return of the rebel
flags to the men whipped Internal out
rage"
At one time there were twenty rebel fiag 9 of
various sizes and designs in the State Libr sry.
They were brought home as trophies by vail ant
Indiana soldiers, but through some cause II eg-
lect loss surrepttious return to the ex-rel sls
the collection has been diminished to eleven 1tOf
those remaining few cannot be identified AID
on account of the poor space in the presen t
library rooms for the flag display, both of Unoit
banners carried by Indiana regiments and the
rebel flags they captured it is difficult to get at
any special one. The original collection of rebel
trophies included the following:
A white silk flag. stars and bars, taken at
Huntsville Ala, by Capt. H. E. Lord, of the
Thirtyseventh Indiana Volunteers
The flag of the Third Georgia Cavalry, stars
and bars, captured near E,lizabethtown. KY,